EP1949941B1 - Device for attaching a boot to a snowshoe - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for retaining a shoe on a snowshoe and more particularly the retainer of the front of the latter. The invention also relates to a racket equipped with the device.

Snowshoes have been known for many years because they have been used for centuries by Scandinavians to move on snow. Until today, snowshoes were used for utilitarian or military purposes, to allow alpine populations and troops to travel on snow for their daily needs. Currently, snowshoes are mostly used by walkers or athletes who go hiking and walking, or even competitions.

There are already different types of devices for holding the shoe on the racket. More specifically, two types are known, the plate type and the encased shoe type. Generally, plate-type devices are more often used by performance-minded athletes because foot restraint is provided with more rigidity. The devices of the enveloping liner type are constituted by a front interlocking made by a rubber envelope, or straps in which is retained the front end of the shoe, while a strap at the back holds the heel in the direction forward / back .. But if the latter type of restraint is rather preferred walkers not too demanding more than performance-oriented sportsmen, the fact remains that said walkers also want to have a good lateral resistance of their shoes.

We know from the document WO 2007/084580 which is a so-called interlayer document, a shoe retaining device on a snowshoe, consisting of a horizontal support plate, on which are mounted retaining means consisting of a set of straps forming an enclosure in which is intended to engage and be retained the front of the shoe, said device comprising means for adjusting the lateral distance between the two lateral retaining straps, these means being such that the side straps comprise means of lateral sliding on the support plate, and locking in the selected lateral position, said sliding means being constituted by a sliding profile integral with the corresponding lateral strap which cooperates with a correspondingly shaped sliding housing which extends transversely in the plate support. The prior device, with its complex structure, and its adjustment by screw makes it difficult for the user to handle and therefore does not allow easy adjustment including the centering of the boot relative to the binding. The multitude of parts allowing its operation makes this device heavy for the user and expensive for the manufacturer

The present invention proposes to solve the disadvantages of known devices by providing a device for better lateral adjustment and therefore a better hold of the foot, which combines simplicity, convenience, safety and reliability, and regardless of the type of fastener used.

Thus, the lateral retention device of a shoe on a snowshoe, according to the invention comprises the features of claim 1. It consists of a general symmetry plane retaining plate, on which are mounted means before retaining constituted by a set of retaining walls forming an enclosure in which is intended to engage the front and / or rear end of the shoe, the device comprising means for adjusting the distance between the two side walls of retained, namely between the left wall and a right wall.

According to the invention, each of the lateral walls comprises lateral sliding means with respect to the plate, and locking in the chosen lateral position.

According to the invention, the sliding means are constituted by a sliding profile integral with the side wall which cooperates with a sliding housing preferably made in the plate, of corresponding shape which extends transversely to the general plane of symmetry.

According to the invention, the locking means consist of a movable latch movably mounted upwards on the plate cooperating with a toothing constituted by a succession of hollow profiles made on the sliding profile.

According to a complementary feature, the enclosure is composed of two lateral retaining walls, namely a left wall and a straight wall, made of deformable plastic material.

According to the preferred embodiment, the enclosure is open rearwards to receive the front end of the boot, while each of the side walls comprises a front wall portion which extends substantially vertically while its upper end is extended by the front portion to extend forward biased, whose front end is fixed to the front of the plate.

Note also that according to the preferred embodiment, the side wall portion of one of the side retaining walls is extended on the top by a toothed strap portion intended to cooperate with locking means disposed on the other side portion. wall, said means being constituted by a control loop with a pivoting pawl, the latter cooperating incrementally with the succession of locking teeth, to adjust the volume of the enclosure and in particular its periphery, and thus ensure a good hold of the front of the shoe.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given by way of non-limiting example.

The figure 1 is a front perspective view of the retainer.

The Figures 2, 3 , 4 are rear perspective views of the retainer in three different width settings.

The Figures 2 and 3 are views in two symmetrical lateral adjustment widths.

The figures 4 is a view illustrating an asymmetrical lateral adjustment.

The figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at the sliding housing.

The racket designated under the general reference (1) is in the form of a perforated plate of general plane of symmetry (P) on which is fixed the shoe of the user, and which consists of a sieve (2) , comprising a set of walls supporting the attachment (3) for retaining the shoe of the user.

The snowshoe (1) intended to be equipped with the device according to the present invention may, of course, be of any type. It may for example be of the type of which the sieve (2) is made for example of plastic material, or of the type constituted by a peripheral frame retaining a fabric.

Note that the attachment (3) for retaining the shoe is, according to the illustration given by way of example, articulated with respect to the sieve (2) of the racquet proper, along a transverse axis (XX '), in order to allow the user to lift his heel as he progresses.

Said fastener bearing the general reference (3) is constituted by an articulated plate comprising retaining means for the boot, namely front means (4) and rear means not shown.

The front retaining means (4) are intended to retain the front of the boot on the pivoting plate (3). These means are advantageously constituted by semi-rigid elements. Of course the exemplary embodiment is illustrated with a plate extending under the entire sole of the shoe, but it could be otherwise as for example only extend on the front of the sole. In the description and in the claims, the term "plate used" of course covers a fastener whose plate may extend under the entire sole of the boot, but also a plate which extends only on the front of the soleplate. .

Thus, the front end of the shoe is retained on the racquet itself by the device according to the invention bearing the general reference (4), and which consists of a set of deformable retaining walls (4a, 4b) forming an enclosure (5) or cavity open towards the rear in which is engaged and retained the front end of the shoe (not shown).

According to the embodiment shown of the device, the enclosure (5) or cavity open towards the rear (AR) is composed of two lateral retaining walls (4a, 4b), namely a left wall (4a) and a wall right (4b), The set of walls is made for example of deformable plastic material.

Each of the sidewalls (4a, 4b) includes a front wall portion (40) and may include a sidewall portion (41).
The portion of the side wall (41) extends substantially vertically and its upper end is extended according to the embodiment given by way of example, by the front portion (40), to extend obliquely forwardly . The front wall portion (40) is fixed at its front end to the front of the plate (3) for example by a rivet (6) or any other means.

According to the invention, the lateral portions (41) of the lateral retaining walls (4a, 4b) are intended to be brought closer to the shoe by means of bringing together and moving away. The approximation of the walls being made until they are in contact with the shoe to ensure maintenance.

For this purpose, the lower part of each of the side wall portions (41) is extended by a horizontal lower blade (42) extending towards the plane of symmetry (P).

Each of the horizontal blades is a sliding profile (42) intended to cooperate with a correspondingly shaped sliding housing (7) formed in the front of the plate. The sliding housing advantageously extends perpendicularly to the plane (P).

Furthermore, the upper surface of the sliding profile (42) comprises a toothing (8) constituted by a succession of locking hollow profiles.

Note that the plate comprises at the sliding housing two movable latches (9) intended to cooperate with the toothing (8) of the sliding profiles (42).

Each of the movable locks (9) is movable upwards by elastic deformation, to be able to take two positions, namely an active low locking position and an inactive high position of unlocking. Note that the lock comprises at least one locking tooth (10) intended to cooperate with at least one of the recessed locking profiles when the lock is in its active locking position.

It has been understood that the lock or locks (9) with its cooperation with the toothing (8) constitute the locking means of the front holding means (4) once their lateral position has been chosen.

Add that the side wall portion (41) of one of the lateral retaining walls is extended on the top by a toothed strap portion (11) intended to cooperate with locking means arranged on the other side wall portion . Of course, any other device can be used without departing from the scope of the invention, such as a strap system cooperating with a loop.

These means are for example as illustrated constituted by an adjusting loop (12) with a pivoting pawl (13). The latter cooperates incrementally with the succession of teeth (11) locking, to adjust the volume of the enclosure (5) and in particular its periphery, and thus ensure a good hold of the front of the shoe.

It should be noted that the front holding means (4) constituted by the lateral retaining walls (4a, 4b) are movably mounted in transverse displacement with respect to the pivoting plate (3) so as to be either close together or distant so that their distance is adapted to the morphology of the shoe at its front lateral support.

Add that the plate is advantageously made of plastic, and the two locks (9) are injected with the entire plate. Thus the upward pivoting of the locks is against the action of the clean energy of the plastic, and therefore automatically return to their low active locking position.

Note also that the locks (9) are arranged at the front of the pivoting plate (3) and are therefore in the zone occupied by the sole of the shoe. Thus the sole of the shoe, resting on the locks, prohibits inadvertent unlocking.

The Figures 2, 3 , 4 are rear perspective views of the retainer in three different width settings.

The figure 2 is a view illustrating a symmetrical lateral adjustment, for which the distance between the two side walls, namely right and left is large (L).

The figure 3 is a view illustrating a symmetrical lateral adjustment, for which the distance between the two side walls, namely right and left is small (1).

The figure 4 is a view illustrating an asymmetrical lateral adjustment, in which the left side wall is further from the plane of symmetry (P) than is the right wall.

The two lateral retaining walls are adjustable in lateral position, namely the left side wall (4a) and the right side wall (4b).

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of examples, but it is defined by the claims.

Thus, the device of the invention given by way of example is illustrated and described in the case of the retainer of the front of the shoe, can also be used to laterally retain the back of the shoe, including his heel .

Claims (5)

1. Device for lateral retention of a boot on a snow shoe (1), consisting of a retention plate (3) with a general plane of symmetry (P) on which there are fitted front retention means (4) constituted by a set of retention walls (4a, 4b) which form an enclosure (5) in which there is designed to be engaged the front and/or rear end of the boot, the said device comprising means for adjustment of the distance (L, 1) between the two lateral retention walls (4a, 4b), i.e. between the left wall (4a) and a right wall (4b), whereas each of the lateral walls (4a, 4b) comprises means (42, 7) for lateral sliding relative to the retention plate, and for locking in the lateral position selected (8, 9), the sliding means being constituted by a sliding profile (42) which is integral with the lateral wall (4a, 4b) which co-operates with a sliding receptacle (7) with a corresponding form which extends transversely relative to the general plane of symmetry (P), the locking means being constituted by a mobile lock (9) which is fitted such as to be mobile upwards on the plate which co-operates with toothing (8) constituted by a succession of hollow profiles provided on the sliding profile (42).
2. Device for lateral retention of a boot on a snow shoe (1), according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the lower part of each of the portions of lateral wall (41) is extended by a horizontal lower tongue (42) which extends towards the plane of symmetry (P), in arder to constitute the sliding profile (42) which is designed to co-operate with a
   sliding receptacle (7) with a corresponding form provided in the front of the plate.
3. Device for lateral retention of a boot on a snow shoe (1), according to either of the preceding claims, characterised in that the enclosure (8) consists of two lateral retention walls (4a, 4b), i.e. a left wall (4a) and a right wall (4b) made of deformable plastic material.
4. Device for lateral retention of a boot on a snow shoe (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each of the lateral walls (4a, 4b) comprises a front portion of wall (40) which extends substantially vertically, whereas its upper end is extended by the front portion (40), in order to extend slanting forwards, its front end being secured to the front of the plate (3).
5. Device for lateral retention of a boot on a snow shoe (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the lateral portion of wall (41) of one of the lateral retention walls is extended at the top by a portion of notched belt (11) which is designed to co-operate with locking means disposed on the other lateral portion of wall, the said means being constituted by an adjustment loop (12) with a pivoting catch (13), the latter co-operating by incrementation with the succession of locking teeth (11), thus making it possible to adjust the volume of the inclosure (5), and in particular its periphery, and therefore to assure that the front of the boot has a good hold.

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